Women's experiences of diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome: a mixed-methods study in general practice

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common lifelong metabolic condition with serious associated comorbidities. Evidence points to a delay in diagnosis and inconsistency in the information provided to women with PCOS. Aim To capture women's experiences of how PCOS is diagnosed and managed in UK general practice. Design and setting This was mixed-methods study with an online questionnaire survey and semi-structured telephone interviews with a subset of responders. Method An online survey to elicit women's experiences of general practice PCOS care was promoted by charities arid BBC Radio Leicester: The survey was accessible online between January 2018 and November 2018. A subset of responders undertook a semi-structured telephone interview to provide more in-depth data. Results A total of 323 women completed the survey (aver age age 35.4 years) and semi structured interviews were conducted with 11 women. Them were five key themes identified through the survey responses. Participants descnbed a variable lag time from presentation to PCOS diagnosis, with a median of 6-12 months. Many had experienced mental health problems associated with their PCOS symptoms, but had not discussed these with the OP. Manywere unable to recall any discussion about associated comorbidities with the OP. Some differences were identified between the experiences of women from white British backgrounds and those from other ethnic backgrounds. Conclusion From the experiences of the women in this study, it appears that PCOS in general practice is not viewed as a tong-term condition with an increased risk of comorbidities including mental health problems. Further research should explore GPs' awareness of comorbidities and the differences in PCOS care experienced by women from different ethnic backgrounds.